Puff
by Appomattoxco
Summary: A Valentines fic I never got around to posting here. Wes & Connor future. Wildly AU after the first eps of season 5


TITLE: Puff AUTHOR: Appomattoxco  
FEEDBACK/EMAIL: please! DISTRIBUTION: just let me know.  
DISCLAIMER: I'm not making any money off this or anything else actually so don't sue.  
TIMELINE/SPOILERS: Wildly AU PAIRING/CHARACTERS: Wes/Connor It wasn' my idea It was for a Valentine's ficathon!RATING: FRT no real slash just the suggestion of it.  
SUMMARY: It's all about cards as in greeting and houses of.

It was a small gift shop, a little off the beaten track, just dusty and crowded together enough to make Wes feel as if he'd come home. It had a selection of art cards as well as the usual mass produced ones. Wesley bypassed the cards with lace and roses. That seriously cut down on his options but a man didn't give his 22 year old boyfriend a lacey card for Valentines Day. At least he didn't think so, but what did he know about that kind of thing? Wesley was 35 years old and he had never given anyone he was in love with a Valentine's. He always seemed to be between lovers when February 14th came and went with out him ever having to buy a card. One year he did buy Cordelia an elaborate card with something funny on the inside. He couldn't recall what it had said and this saddened him. He could remember what she gave him. The card had cupid with a bulls eye and "I heard cupid has been giving you a hard time now's your chance to get even." A dart tied with a red bow had come with it. He still had them both.

Wesley picked up a card with a very familiar cartoon on the front and the words "I'm bubbly over you" inside. This was a definite possibility. Connor watched Sponge Bob Square Pants all the time. He was always pointing out the gay subtext. Wesley honestly couldn't tell if he really enjoyed the cartoon or just liked to annoy him by watching it every Saturday. He'd comment on its deep cultural meaning while eating coco pops like a ten year old. Wes hung on to "Sponge Bob" just in case and looked over the possibilities some more.

He picked up one with a photo of a park that looked a lot like the one around the corner from his place. That's where he and Conner met or as Connor put it "where he picked Wesley up." It was quite embarrassing at the time; Wes had taken to going to the park whenever he could escape the clutches of Wolfram and Hart to spend some time in the sun. He'd been distracted over a case and walked into a small hole and lost his footing. Connor helped him to his feet. Mostly just stood there while Wes did his best to hobble to the bench. The park card had the words "You Are My Sunshine." on the inside. This seemed fitting. Connor was his sunshine in a way. He did meet him while seeking the sun. There was something not right about the Vampire safety glass. Even though Fred assured everyone that not only did it keep Angel from combusting but it also prevented skin cancer.

Healthy or not a man should feel warm when standing in the sun. It was odd Wes had never been an outdoors person. He used to prefer libraries to parks. Connor changed that, most of their time together when they weren't in bed was spent outside. Playing or watching sports, walking together, camping up in the mountains or backpacking in the desert. On one notable occasion they even went to the zoo poor impulse control there had almost gotten them arrested. The odds were slim to none he would find an anteater card but he looked anyway.

Suddenly he heard a Familiar voice call his name and he turned around. " Oh my gosh Wes, I can't believe you're here, I was just this minuet thinking that I should tell you about this place. Ijust knew you would just love it here. Doesn't this place feel kind of home-y or to you something?" Then she noticed the cards in his hands, "Wow you're looking for a Valentine I didn't know you we're dating anyone. It's not Harmony is it? I mean she's nice and all but she is Harmony and well, she's Harmony." Fred was able to come up with more reasons but couldn't find a better one.

"Why in the world would you think I'd date Harmony? Even Spike wouldn't actually DATE her." Wes almost shouted he was so insulted.

"She is pretty."

Wes saw his chance to steer the conversation away from himself, "Are you interested in her?"

"You're not going to distract me, Wes. Tell me about her maybe I can help you find a card. I can't believe it your blushing, I haven't seen you do that in a long time. I should have known you were in love you have been all glow-y and distracted lately. Even Angel noticed a change and you know he's Mr. self- absorbed."

Being with Connor had changed him. From the moment they met some of the painful jagged edges around his heart had been smoothed away. He felt as if he'd always known him it was so right. Wes decided on that park bench the first time he saw the younger man to keep him as far away from Wolfram and Hart as possible. Wes couldn't go back to being the man he was when he first arrived in L.A. and he wouldn't want to, but it was right for scars to begin to fade and if he could prevent Connor from getting any he would. At home Wes didn't talk about work ever. If he was asked he would say he trusted Angel with his life but Connor was more than his life and the protectiveness he felt was even to him off kilter. Sometimes he felt that this life was a house of cards. Just one puff and it would topple. Do they have a card for that?

"Come on Wes spill already. What's her name? What is she like? Are you going to bring her by the office so we can all meet her?"

Fred might assume differently but this wasn't the hard part, "Connor's a he." Wes felt the little puff of air that accompanied her oh and he just stood there clutching his cards.


End file.
